Creative uses for catering supplies.

This weekend I went through my craft cupboard and chucked out 4 large laundry tubs of stuff that has been shoved in there and not used over the last 4 years. My girls are outgrowing crafting as fast as they are outgrowing parties and I’m not overly convinced that Bene is going to grow into it either. So all my hoarded odds and ends went into a cupboard over the years but it was time for them to come out and exit the premises so that I could actually start to use and enjoy some of what was left in there and turn it into a cupboard that a toddler and a creative mummy can make use of.

This of course meant I uncovered lots (and I do mean lots!) of supplies I’ve spent good money on in the past and it would have been criminal to chuck out. The thing is, supplies tend to lurk in the bottom of crates and I forget I have them.

SO I hit on a cunning plan….

The other week I was sent a variety of catering supplies to try out, including a large number (and I do mean a large number, the value on this site is phenomenal) of plastic food containers. I’d intended them to be emergency “Oh I must have left it at school” lunch box replacements but suddenly I had visions of glittery pom poms stacked up in perfect piles of crafting glory.

The only problem is I have roughly 40 of these boxes, so I may have buy lots of new craft supplies now to fill them up, because they really do look rather pretty.

I hope no one needs a temporary lunchbox.

I also asked for some of their little circular lidded pots, which (I would guess), are intended for portions of raisins, nuts, sweets and so on. I have been using them to serve up little pots of collage materials for Bene, who has been doing quite a bit of ‘play on a tray’, my smaller scale alternative for Tuff Spot messy play, where I give him a bunch of substances in little piles or pots on a black waiters tray. Last week I served up beads, stones, collage items and buttons and so on and used the portion pots to do so.

Damn. Forgot to take the before shot! #playtimetray

I forgot to take a before photo but this was him deeply engrossed in his game which then became a cake making game, a playdough game and several other versions of ‘mix and pour’ games too. The pots have been used as playdough cake cases, cutters and holders for making ice cubes with incorporated beads and bits so far.

Next up on my list is building some Montessori style landforms in in the food containers and possibly even actually makes some tiny portion trifles in the pots, since I think that might be what they are supposed to be for. Bene is a hopeless eater but he quite likes tiny servings of things to carry around so they’ll be ideal for that.

My challenge was to spend £35 on the site – this was actually fairly challenging as everything is very cheap and you buy in bulk. I bought masses of very good quality plastic cutlery to use at the gymnastics club I volunteer at and 300 muffin cases for the princely sum of just over £3, plus loads of napkins in pretty designs to use for serving cakes on. We always do this at home as 7 people use up plates too fast to wash them! They sell lots of themed party kits of plates, serviettes and cups and I loved this polka dot theme, so I plan to go back for them.

So there you have it – do you have any unusual uses for food containers and the like? Ideas for what to do with my little pots gratefully received as I have about 200 left to use. 😆

Disclosure: I had received compensation and goods for this post.